


Achilles Come Down

by cubeofbutter



Category: The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, High School, Songfic, Suicide Attempt, achilles is a sad boi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-25
Updated: 2020-11-25
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:13:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27712541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cubeofbutter/pseuds/cubeofbutter
Summary: AchillesAchillesAchilles come down, won't youGet up offGet up off the roof?
Relationships: Achilles/Patroclus (Song of Achilles)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 82





	Achilles Come Down

**Author's Note:**

> This has probably already been done bc everyone's currently obsessed with this song but I don't care.

_Achilles_  
_Achilles_  
_Achilles come down, won't you_  
_Get up off_  
_Get up off the roof?_

It was supposed to be a fun night. Menelaus had decided to throw a party at his luxury apartment and invited pretty much everyone. Patroclus had picked Achilles up from his house, and they drove to the party blasting Megan Thee Stallion. And then Menelaus and Helen had a very public breakup which ended with Helen leaving with Paris. After that, things went from bad to worse.

“Achilles, please come down.”

Patroclus stood a few feet away from Achilles, who stood on the ledge of the apartment's building roof. Achilles was turned away from him and looking down at the ground, ten stories below. Patroclus’s heart pounded in his chest and he fought the instinct to tear him away from the edge. He was afraid of going any closer, terrified that one wrong movement would make him jump.

“Come on Achilles, you’re scaring me.”

Looking back, he should have realized something was wrong, that Achilles wasn’t acting like himself. The minute they arrived Achilles started drinking and didn’t stop. Patroclus had seen Achilles drink before, but never this much. When he’d tried to cut him off, Achilles had just laughed and said he was a tightwad.

“Just because you’re scared of alcohol doesn’t mean I am.”

That had stung. Achilles was one of the only people who knew his Dad was abusive, especially when he was drunk. Which was most of the time. Patroclus knew alcohol wasn’t the reason his Dad acted the way he did, but it didn’t stop him from avoiding it like the plague.

Patroclus had told Achilles to fuck off and spent the next hour sulking with Briseis. He still kept a close eye on Achilles though. There was something dangerous in the way he was drinking, like it was his last night on earth and he wanted to have fun.

And then the thing happened with Menelaus and Helen, leaving this tension in the air that made Patroclus uneasy. The change was subtle, but suddenly people were partying a little harder, their usually friendly jabs turning cruel. And then he looked away for one minute and when he looked back, Achilles was gone. He searched the apartment for him, but he was nowhere in sight.

He texted Achilles. No response. Patroclus couldn’t shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong. He interrogated people at the party until someone offhandedly mentioned they saw Achilles heading up to the roof. His heart stilled. Patroclus definitely should have called the cops, but in his panicked state he didn’t think of it.

“Please get off of there, I’m begging you.”

His voice cracked and Patroclus realized he was crying. Achilles still wasn’t looking at him, so he hesitantly took a step forward.

“Achilles please.”

Patroclus knew Achilles was depressed and had been for months. Not that anyone knew. His Mom, Metis, didn’t believe in depression, or at least refused to believe her son had it. Instead, she blamed it on Patroclus and accused him of “being a bad influence.”

That was infuriating in itself, but it also meant he wasn’t getting any treatment. Patroclus had been forced to watch Achilles sink deeper and deeper, powerless to do anything about it. He suspected that Achilles had started doing drugs and using alcohol as some kind of coping mechanism, but whenever he pressed, Achilles would deny it.

“Achilles come down from there, please.” Patroclus knew he should be saying something, anything to make him stop, but he didn’t know what else to do other than beg him to come down.

“I can’t do this.”

One of the things Achilles struggled with was his athletic career. He was a high school athlete who’d already won a full ride to college for his running abilities. Most people thought he was destined for the olympics.

Achilles confided in Patroclus that sometimes he hated all the attention he got. He loved running, loved how powerful it made him feel. He loved the feeling right before the gunshot, the feeling of flying through the air and the applause when he won.

He hated the pressure everyone put on him and how much of his childhood had been stolen thanks to running. Achilles had to train for hours every day, and his mother put pressure on him to get straight A’s as well.

“I can’t do this,” he repeated and Patroclus hated how small his voice sounded.

“Yes you can, Achilles please.”

“I don’t want to go to the Olympics.”

“You don’t have to. You can do anything you want.”

Achilles shook his head and Patroclus could tell he was crying.

“I’m not good at anything else.”

“That’s not true, you’re smart and talented, please, I’m begging you.”

Patroclus was sobbing down, tears streaming down his face.

Achilles finally turned to look at him. “I have to do this.”

“No you don’t, Achilles please.”

“I can’t do this anymore.”

“Yes you can, you promised. You said it’d be you and me, for ever and ever, remember that?”

They’d been twelve years old, two years after they first met and were watching the stars on Achilles’s roof.

“My coach thinks I can go to the Olympics. I dunno if I’m good enough though.”

“Course you are. You’re gonna go off to the Olympics and get famous and forget all about me,” Patroclus laughed, ignoring the way his stomach twisted at the thought.

“No I won’t.”

“Won’t what?”

“Forget about you. It’s not possible. You’re my best friend.”

Patroclus' heart fluttered at the intensity of Achilles’ gaze. “I’m your only friend.”

“That’s cause you’re the only friend I need. It’s gonna be me and you, forever and ever.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

Patroclus’ heart ached at the memory.

“I-I can’t. I’m so sorry. I just feel like I’m trapped and I hate it and-”

“Then fuck it! Fuck running and fuck the Olympics. We can get a van and go on a road trip around the country or whatever the hell you want. You don’t have to do this.”

Achilles started shaking his head again and something inside Patroclus snapped.

“Goddammit Achilles, I love you. I fucking love you. I love you so much. I can’t live without you. So you better believe that if you jump off this roof, I’m jumping too.”

Achilles stared at him, his expression crumpling.

“I’m worthless.” He whispered.

“That is such bullshit Achilles. You’re worth everything to me. I know it doesn’t count for much, but I fucking love you. I love you and I am begging you to come down.”

Achilles, hesitated, before nodding. “Ok. Ok.”

He stepped down off the ledge. Patroclus almost collapsed with relief. Instead, he surged forward and crushed Achilles in a hug. He buried his face in Achilles neck, breathing in the smell of him. Then before he could think about it, he drew back and kissed him. The kiss was desperate and messy and tasted like the tears flowing from their eyes, but _Achilles was kissing him back._

They finally broke apart, chests heaving. Patroclus leaned forward and rested his forehead against Achilles’.

“Please god never do that again. I don’t think I’ve ever been that scared in my life.”

“Did you mean it? What you said?” Achilles was looking at him with something like hope in his eyes. Patroclus’ heart squeezed tight inside his chest.

“Of course I meant it. I love you. I’ve always loved you.”

Achilles smiled brokenly “I love you too.”

Patroclus chuckled wetly and leaned forward to kiss him again.

“One more year ok? One more year and we can leave and do whatever the hell we want.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”


End file.
